The disclosure provides a silica-based scale cleaning technology. The disclosure can provide a cleaning agent of a silica-based scale, containing a silicic acid compound. The disclosure can also provide a cleaning method of a water treatment apparatus, including: using a solution containing a silicic acid compound. Further, the disclosure can provide a cleaning method of a silica-based scale, including: using an agent containing a silicic acid compound for a water system.

A platform for onsite creation of consumable liquids is provided. The platform includes a liquid generating machine, a set of cubes, compatible bottles, and a user interface device. The liquid generating machine may include a water storage module, a cube module, a liquid making module and a bottle filling and cleaning module. The platform decentralizes the production of consumable liquids, such as drinking waters, enhances the consumer's experience, significantly increases consumers' choices, all while simplifying the consumption process (buying the water, carrying it, getting rid of/recycling the plastic bottle, etc.). The platform includes customizable liquid generating recipes associated with the cubes that may be provided through a network or local database and a security feature that allows the authorization of users to generate and access controlled liquids.

Provided are sequestering agents for sequestering non-water moieties from an aqueous solution. The sequestering agents may comprise a detergent; and a polymer operable to stabilize formation of a detergent micelle thereby causing the detergent and polymer to self-assemble into a nanonet upon exposure to the aqueous solution. Also provided are kits therefore and methods for use of the sequestering agents and kits.

The present disclosure is related to systems and methods for the biological processing of hydrocarbon-containing substances. In particular embodiments, the systems and methods herein relate to pre-digestion of hydrocarbon containing substances and further processing of the same to produce hydrocarbon fuels, fertilizer, and other products.

Smart membranes (14) are integrated into a small, unmanned surface vessel (20) to enable the efficient, automated cleanup of oil spills. Such a vessel (20) has the potential to provide a low-cost, modular solution for day-to-day oil-spill cleanup operations, especially in confined aquatic areas, such as under piers and in the small spaces between marine vessels and piers. The smart membranes (14) are provided on the surface of a conveyor belt (34) that circulates the membranes (14) through the surrounding body of water (10) for oil collection, as well as through an internal reduction chamber (22) of the vessel (20) for oil release. The smart membranes (14) are adapted to attract and repel oil (12) in response to low-voltage commands applied across the conveyor belt (34), using a process that is repeatable for a number of cycles, offering high efficiency and long durability (FIG. 5).

Disclosed herein are the methods of using di-cationic or di-anionic compounds, which are derived from primary amine through an aza-Michael addition with an activated olefin, in a corrosion control composition to mitigate corrosion of a surface in a water system. The disclosed methods or compositions are found to be more effective than those methods or compositions including commonly used single quaternary compounds for mitigating corrosion for a metal surface in water systems.

The present subject matter illustrates a zero-valent metal suspension in non-aqueous phase. The suspension comprises 41 wt. % of a plurality of zero-valent iron particles; 0.1 wt % of a surfactant; 36 wt. % of an oil; and 23 wt. % of a thickening agent.

A water treatment agent containing (a) an inorganic flocculating agent, (b) a polymeric flocculating agent, and (c) a non-swellable aluminosilicate compound with a volume swelling ratio of 120% or less is described. The volume swelling ratio of the component (c) is determined by the following formula: volume swelling ratio (%)=(L1/L2)×100, where L1 represents a volume of the component (c) 24 hours after adding 0.5 g of the component (c) to 50 ml of ion exchange water at 25° C., and L2 represents an apparent volume of 0.5 g of the component (c) in the air.

A polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex, a method of removing a toxic substance from contaminated soil or contaminated groundwater using a polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex and a method of making a polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex. The polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex is made from a complexated recombinant intrinsically disordered protein that has been electrostatically conjugated to an anionic surfactant to provide enhanced liquid-liquid phase separation properties.

The present invention provides improved methods for purifying and/or removing oily particles, and/or contaminants suspended or dissolved in water. In particular the process relates to an additive composition that has the appropriate surfactant characteristics for effectively removing an oil phase from an oil/aqueous mixed phase via foam fractionation. According to the invention, a hydrophobically modified polymer that acts as an associative thickener is combined with surfactant in appropriate ratios to facilitate oil removal for water purification in any of a number of commercial, environmental and industrial applications.